Somewhere Beyond The Blue!

Somewhere Beyond The Blue

In times of depth of thought and ponder, we

think about the evermore

It seems so distant and ethereal; it moves

us to our very core

Just to imagine walking through heaven's

gates, to stand before the LORD

Is a thrill beyond measure, and a treasure

none could afford

But Jesus Christ bought our ticket, and

paid with His own blood

To Gather all His children, like an 

ever growing flood

The Lord wants us with Him, and not

to be in separation

Heaven is void of His creation; it's a

Godly deprivation

The Angels cry Holy, in perfect worship

of unknown songs

But, He searches earth for that soul, who

sings to Him all night long

It's the "dust" He formed into life, that

moves Him so deep

Because He's the Shepherd, and He ever aches,

for His own sheep

He loves like no other; His commitment

is steadfast

His Bride is His treasure, with a marriage

made to last

So, stand weary warriors, as you gaze

through this year's columns

This is a straight and narrow race,

and definitely not a slalom

 Keep the faith, and continue to look up,

whatever you do

Because Jesus Christ, Your LORD, awaits

you, Somewhere Beyond The Blue!

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

Luke 4:18

"HOMECOMING"

"The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."  (Luke 4:18)  This gives you a real "homey" feeling, doesn't it?  You've heard the saying, "Home is where the heart is?"  The world's hearts are about to have a "Homecoming!" 

Where is Home?  In the mind of Almighty God, according to the Word of God, because that's how we know the "mind" of God  ...  "Home" is living and abiding in Him in His house!  "But as for me, I will come into thy house into the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple."  (Psalm 5:7)  The answer for a grieving, tormented, angry, rioting, hurting, hungry, terrified, and shaken world, is to come Home!  Come Home to the Lord Jesus Christ!

"But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time

of your favor; in your great love, O God,

answer me with your sure salvation."

(Psalm 69:13)

What is the time of God's favor?  NOW!  It's the time before the door slams shut and time shall be no more.  We are living in the time of Grace, a time of God's overwhelming favor!  He is nigh unto the brokenhearted; He is forgiving, longsuffering, and He runs to anyone who repents and seeks Him with a sorrowful heart.  He stands with open arms saying, "Come Home; Come Home!"  

"Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for

help, as I lift up my hands toward your

Most Holy Place."

(Psalm 28:2)

The world is a very lonely place, if you're walking around in it without the One who made it!  Where can you find refuge; where is it safe?  It's eternally safe in the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ and in His Church.  Psalm 132:7 says, "Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool."  God's Church is where we find solace for our souls, peace for our fears, love for our discontent, power against evils, healing for our beings, strength for our weakness, direction for our confusions, and salvation for our "eternities." 

"I will bow down toward your holy temple and will

praise your name for your love and your faithfulness,

for you have exalted above all things your name and

    your word." 

(Psalm 138:2)

"Home" is where your sins are forgiven by "Amazing Grace," where He makes "Beautiful Things" out of dust; it's where your normal existence is filled with "Holy, Holy, Holy" sounds of Glory, and it's where you realize "You Gotta' Serve Somebody," and so, you rise on eagle's wings and you say, "I'm Goin' To The Enemy's Camp To Take Back What He Took From Me;" and all the while, you're thinkin' "He Didn't Bring Me This Far To Leave Me," and you keep your eye on the prize and sing "I'll fly Away;" then, as you ponder these things, you remember the bad times aren't so bad because "He Whispers Sweet Peace To Me" and you tell yourself "I Bowed On My Knees and Cried Holy," so you know you will make it, because you obeyed Acts 2:38 and "This is That Spoken By The Prophet Joel" and "Ain't No Grave Gonna' Hold My Body Down;" so, you lean back and breathe a sigh of relief that you're glad you're Home, and Hey, things are lookin' up, because "There's A Little Bit Of Mornin' Outside."

   "COME HOME!"

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

Revelation 21:27

Is Your Name In the Book?

"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."  (Revelation 21:27)  Enter what? Heaven!  The question most important throughout the ages, it is the deepest and most renowned in the mind of God, going beyond every word in every secular book ever written; THE Number 1 question of the universe is  ...  Is Your Name In The Book?

"But now, please forgive their sin--but if not,

then blot me out of the book you have written."

(Exodus 32:32)

O, Moses!  He knew the importance of "The Book."  The above statement of Moses is one of the most profound utterances of people in the Bible, other than Jesus Christ our Lord.  Moses came down from the mountain and discovered the children of Israel worshipping a golden calf, dancing naked, engrossed in all manner of evil and sin  ...  and Moses said to God, if you won't forgive them, then send me to Hell  ... in essence, that's what he meant; he said blot me out of Your book.  Who would be willing to go to Hell for another?  Moses' statement prevails in my spirit continually  ... his love for the children of Israel  ...  Then, the LORD said unto Moses, "Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book."  (Exodus 32:33)  What book was he talking about?  The Lamb's Book of life.  

"However, do not rejoice that the

spirits submit to you, but rejoice that

your names are written in heaven."

(Luke 10:20)

There are two books  ... The Book of life, wherein is written the name of every person ever born.  Then, the book "of dire interest to you and me," the Lamb's Book of Life, in which are written the names of every person born again "of water and of Spirit," every one who has received salvation through the precious blood of the Lamb, our LORD Jesus Christ!

"The three R's"

A book of infinite more value than the notable "Three R's" is the Holy Bible, which has three R's of its own  ...  Restoration, Revival, and Revelation!    Anything you need answered about life and all of its struggles is found in the Holy Bible.  There is no greater Wisdom than is Spiritually documented in the pages written by men who were "breathed on" by the Holy Spirit of God!

"He who overcomes, will, like them, be dressed in white.  I will never blot out his name 

from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels."

(Revelation 3:5)

"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those

who practice magic arts, the idolators and all liars-- their place will be in the fiery lake

of burning sulfur.  This is the second death."

(Revelation 21:8)

God is pretty particular about who gets in "The Book" and who gets through the pearly gates!  But, the good news is, the above scripture describes all of us, "such were some of us" ... we were all born in sin and shapen in iniquity.  The Lord Jesus Christ took all the sin and all the evil upon himself when He died for us.  He paid the price!  We need only receive Him as our Lord and Savior, be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins, and receive His Spirit and speak with tongues as His Spirit gives us the utterance.  (Acts 2:38)  Then, our names are written in the Lamb's Book of life!  Whatever you do in this life; don't neglect the most valuable and most important of all  ... get yourself in "The Book!"

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that

they may have the right to the tree of life and may

go through the gates into the city."

(Revelation 22:14)

The million dollar question to all the world is, "Is Your Name In The Book?" 

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and thexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

Proverbs 3:3

You Must Love Truth!

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart."  How do large groups of people "follow" anyone who is clearly leading them into a ditch?  The Bible has the answer  ...  they have "itching ears" and they love not the truth!  

  "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.

And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish: because they received not

the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this cause God shall send them strong 

delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned, who believed not the

truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

(II Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Those are pretty strong words, but if we ever needed them, it would be now!  We must love the truth!  What is the truth?  The Bible says there is "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism."  (Ephesians 4:5)  How many Gospels are there? One!  Paul said it very clearly, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."  Then, to drive his point further home, Paul repeated this scripture again in the very next verse.  He wanted to make sure we got it. (Galatians 1:8-9)  When Paul said "if we," he was speaking of himself and Peter; what Gospel did he and Peter preach?  He preached Acts 2:38; Acts 10 and Acts 19 explain the Gospel, the requirements of salvation.

(Acts 2:37-39)

Why is all of this so important?  If you don't stand for the truth; you'll fall for anything!  

 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 

(II Timothy 4:2-4)

If what you're being taught doesn't line up with the Holy Bible; run!  Get away from it as quick as you can; the Lord Jesus Christ will never tell us anything different than what He has already said in the Bible.  It is finished!  Nothing can be added to the Bible and nothing can be taken away from it  ...  Revelation 22:18-19.  

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds;

tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your

foreheads,"  (Deuteronomy 11:18)

The Word of God was written and spoken by men as they were moved on by the Holy Ghost.  (2 Peter 1:21)  The Bible gives life, moves us by the Holy unction of Almighty God, directs us, corrects us, leads us in paths of righteousness and purity; the Word comforts, heals, blesses, restores, and refreshes our spirits   ...  it is the balm of Gilead to our souls!  It is Truth!

"Do not those who plot evil go astray?  But

those who plan what is good find love and

  faithfulness."

(Proverbs 14:22)

It's time the world heard the "Truth."  The Lord Jesus Christ will bring every honest hearted soul to the full truth; if we seek Him for truth, He will lead us to it.  

"LORD Jesus, I pray for every precious soul reading this today.  Bless them with the "truth" of Your Word.  Right now, we repent of all of our sins: Please forgive me LORD, for everything wrong I have ever done to displease You, wash me clean by Your blood shed for me.  I will be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and I believe You will fill me with the Holy Ghost and I will speak in tongues as Your Spirit enters my body, just as the Bible says.  I will live for You all of my days and I will turn away from all evil; lead me into all truth, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, my LORD!  Amen and Amen!

   "The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;

        and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."

(Psalm 34:18)

The Truth sets You Free!

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

Deuteronomy 32:30

"God's New Math"



"How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight ..."  It's something called "God's New Math!"

"Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred

of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies

will fall by the sword before you."

(Leviticus 2:8)

Hey, if you have this much power in "numbers" over your enemies, what could you do if you actually want to "catch" them, instead of destroy them?  It all comes down to this:  With God, you can do anything  ...  you can hog-tie them or you can run them off!  We're in the Church Age, people!  It's high time we "hog-tie" them!  Well, maybe I should say it a little more dignified  ...  we need to win them to the Lord Jesus Christ!  (But, you have to know ... some of the "stubborn" ones 'still' have to be hog-tied!)  However, the toughest ones to win are the most "Joyful" of all!  Those who have been forgiven much, love much!

"Enough reproductive power in one grain of

corn to plant the entire earth in 6 years."

(Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

Multiplication!  Divide to add!  Purge to propagate!  Subtract to infiltrate!  Spread to condense!  Thin out to thicken up!  Take out to bring in!  Dig it up to plant within!  You say, "What are you talkin' about?"  God's New Math!  You have to stick your head in the clouds  ...  to entrench earth!  It's an ethereal awakening to a Godly atmospheric pressure  ...  God's New Math!

                                                                "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

and he who wins souls is wise."

Proverbs 11:30)

Why does God want us to be superior mathletes?  SOULS!  It's all about souls, meeting souls, loving souls, befriending souls, healing souls, laying hands on souls, feeding souls, nurturing souls  ...  Winning Souls!  The souls of men, women, and children is the impetus of the mind of Almighty God.  Jesus Christ our Lord did His part, and now He hands the baton to us.  All we have to do is sow  ...  He'll take care of the New Math!

"Though I am free and belong to no man,

I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as

many as possible."

(ICorinthians 9:19)

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of the universe, Almighty God, the Creator, "knelt" and washed His disciples' feet.  He is our example of what it means to give ourselves for others.  We, as Christians, are a gift to the world.  We harbor a precious and valuable commodity  ... the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ living within us.  That wonderful God living inside us moves us to groan, pray, love and seek the lost.  We can do nothing else  ...  it is the driving force that pushes us; the closer we get to our LORD, the stronger this force grows!

"Remember this: whoever turns a sinner from

the error of his way will save him from death

and cover over a multitude of sins."

(James 5:20)

We've all been there; we were all born in sin and shapen in iniquity; we once were lost, but now we're found!  Multitudes are waiting to be found  ...  maybe You or I will be the one to find them!  Kindness goes a long way today, because everywhere we look, people are angry, hopeless, in despair, without direction, in turmoil, jobless, in the middle of catastrophe  ...  we win them to ourselves before we win them to God.

The answer to Sin is "God's New Math!"

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

Genesis 2:6

"Rain vs Reign"

"But streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground."  (Genesis 2:6)  All through the Word of God, the Lord spoke in terms of "if You will, then I will ...," A perfect example of this is 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."  This is the "Reign" part "after" the Rain!

"He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,

out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

(John 7:38)

The above scripture is talking about the infilling of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of the living God.  (Acts 2:38, Acts 10, Acts 19)  We are nothing but "dust" without the Spirit of God living within us.  He formed man from the dust of the earth, but He didn't want man to stay dust; He longed for him to become a fountain, springing up into eternal life! 

"For I will pour water on the thirsty land,

and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my

Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on

your descendents."

(Isaiah 44:3)

 Almighty God is all about "reigning" in our hearts, souls, minds, spirits, and bodies  ...  so that His love can guide us, protect us, defend us, nurture us  ... SAVE us!  We are the love of His life, the beat of His soul, the longing of His heart, the breath of His existence, His very life-giving blood!  He covers us with a cloud by day and a fire by night; He's the hovering guardian of our souls!  

We need Rain; we're praying for Rain, but what if God wants US to water the earth by His "Reign" of the Spirit in peoples' lives, and then  ... then, He will send "Rain!"  How can WE water the earth?  Out of our bellies shall flow rivers of living water  ...  we pour from vessel to vessel; we lay hands on one another to receive the Holy Ghost and speak with tongues as the Spirit is poured out, and gives the utterance.  The scripture in Genesis 2:6 said the "streams came up from the earth;" that's you and me, "the dust formed from God's hand," and they watered the whole earth!  

We don't know why there's no Rain "yet," but it couldn't hurt for the Church to Reign, "water" the earth all around us, and see if the "mist" from the "earth" rises to the thirsty nostrils of the Lord  ...  and moves Him to send down the Rain!

"Rain" and "Reign" are the same thing; they're "seen" at the "scene" of Glory; they're dispersed from winds that "blew" somewhere beyond the "blue;" they come from "Him" who wrote the "Hymn;" they're the salve eliminating the "sore" to lift us to "soar;" and they come from the "Dear" who causes us to leap like a "deer!"    

Just a thought   ...  about the "do" that brings the "dew!"

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

Matthew 24:14

"Tidal Wave Of Glory"

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  The Regions of the world are in for waves of Glory, splashes of latter rain outpourings, Holy Spirit drenching  ...  waves of power like you've never seen before  ...  it's a wave of heavenly splendor, a Tidal Wave of Glory!

"And the gospel must first be preached

to all nations."

(Mark 13:10)

Every nation, kindred and tongue will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord before the end comes.  "The end of what?" you ask.  The end of "Grace."  We are in the dispensation of Grace.  "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."  (John 1:17)  There are seven dispensations, and we are currently living in the sixth dispensation, that of "Grace."  The prior dispensations were Innocence, Conscience, Government, Promise and Law.  The greatest of these  ... is Grace! 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them

which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit."

(Romans 8:1)

We have every reason to lift our hands and worship the true living God, the Lord Jesus Christ!  The Lord Jesus took our sins when He was nailed to the cross; our penalty was paid in full!  There IS no greater "Grace" than what the Lord Jesus Christ did for you and me.  We need only come to Him, receive Him as our Savior and Lord, be baptized in the beautiful name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and receive His Spirit and speak with tongues.  

"Grace" is the loveliest word for the laodicean Church age in which we are now living.  "Laodicean" means uncommitted, lukewarm, 'if it feels good do it,' having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof  ...  that's "our" age, who awaits the coming of the Lord!  But, there's good news  ...  the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28); His Grace and love are capturing every heart  ...  every heart that is longing for One who will never leave or forsake them, looking for One who will carry them through the storms, and seeking The One who loves them utterly! 

   

"...All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit

and growing, just as it has been doing among you

since the day you heard it and understood God's grace

in all its truth."

(Colossians 1:6)

The Holy Ghost and fire is sweeping the world!  People in every nation are receiving the Spirit of Almighty God, the Holy Ghost, and speaking with tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance.  This will only increase as the "Tidal Wave" of Glory fills the whole earth.  Why is it necessary to be filled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ?  "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies alive by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."  (Romans 8:11)  When the Rapture of the Church takes place, (I Corinthians 15:52 and I Thessalonians 4:16) our mortal bodies will be "quickened" or "caught up" to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

"Since you have kept my command to endure patiently,

I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going

to come upon the whole world to test those who live

  on the earth."

(Revelation 3:10)

There is a Hope!  The Lord will remove His Church from the earth before the great tribulation period depicted in the Book of Revelation.  The love and grace of God will protect us and keep us from "judgment;" and it's the most rational and positive thing we can do  ...  jump into the waiting arms of the Lord Jesus Christ, now!  Everybody "serves" somebody as the song says, whether it's the devil or the Lord  ...  everybody serves somebody!  Before long, every nation will say, "As for me and my house, we serve the Lord!"  

Praise the Lord for Pastor Kenneth Phillips, who sleeps, eats, dreams, envisions, and "performs" Matthew 24:14!  He is taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord to every Region of the world!  He is a human being moving in a "Tidal Wave of Glory!

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)